


Ghost Town

by demonic-figs (the_three_garridebs)



Category: Venom (Comics), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Government Conspiracy, Mutual Pining, Other, Science Fiction, Smut, bottom!Eddie, light light non-consensual "looking", like it's pretty much not anything, top!Venom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-10-18 11:08:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17579705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_three_garridebs/pseuds/demonic-figs
Summary: Following Venom (2018), Venom and Eddie have just settled into their new routine. Then the FBI comes asking about the Life Foundation. And they have a warrant to seize Venom.~Excerpt~Journalism had taught Eddie that the world was ugly. Bad people do bad things. Venom did not see Earth like that, somehow. To him, there was no ugliness, merely texture. Everything was crystalline, multi-faceted and organic, fiercely sharp and bright. He was teaching Eddie this. Slowly. All humans were so intent on this ugliness, beholden to it, almost. He wanted Eddie to see how rich it was to live.





	1. Second Skin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Venom and Eddie have a new life together.

They perched on the rain-glossed metal of the Golden Gate bridge, hidden by darkness. Eddie felt his blood mingling with Venom’s, their connection raw and alive, each nerved point of contact thrilling with adrenaline. Ordinarily, he would be screaming. Heights were never easy for him. But when he was with Venom, when they were inside each other, he was not afraid. 

It was impossible to be afraid, with Venom.

**_You will not die_. **

The night was different, from this vantage point. Thrust so far into the clouds, every distinct color was perceptible. The inky blue of the thunderheads, the opaque black of the sky. There was even a pale yellow glow emanating from the nearby city, sheer and unearthly. 

Eddie reached out with Venom’s sensory abilities, casting for sensations. He felt…gravity. The full weight of it, pulling on their shared body, an open invitation to fall, just _fall._ He felt rain. Each, individual drop, like a leaden bullet through the flesh, exploding into cold on impact. He smelled sulfur, and salt, and storm-sweetness. 

And how long had humans gone, not fully seeing?

Gratitude and affection seeped across the mind border. Eddie smiled to himself. His symbiote was simple, really, it was the little things that pleased him. 

Journalism had taught Eddie that the world was ugly. Bad people do bad things. Venom did not see Earth like that, somehow. To him, there was no ugliness, merely texture. Everything was crystalline, multi-faceted and organic, fiercely sharp and bright. He was teaching Eddie this. Slowly. All humans were so intent on this ugliness, beholden to it, almost. He wanted Eddie to see how rich it was to live. 

After a few more moments standing on the bridge, Venom swooped downwards, hurtling towards the San Francisco bay. The water loomed close, choppy and unknowable. Eddie felt his heart pump in conjunction with whatever organ kept Venom alive. Without warning, a tentacle snaked out of Venom’s arm, gripped the edge of the bridge, and swung them safely to the other side. As soon as they landed on firm ground again, Venom disappeared into Eddie’s skin. 

He let himself be drenched. 

“You love that, don’t you?” 

**Yes, Eddie. With you.**

They walked home. 

Eddie ruminated on his symbiote’s recent silence. In the early days, they never stopped talking. It was so constant that it became reflexive; they did not converse so much as inhabit each other. Lately, though, this stream of consciousness had become stilted. Eddie knew the symbiote wanted something, and that he was worried about asking for it, but all other information regarding the issue was closed off to him. Sometimes, in their down moments, Eddie tried to convey that he was open to listening. He wanted to hear Venom’s needs, to please him. 

This had not proven successful. 

Whatever it was, it was causing the poor thing a great deal of distress. And it had started affecting Eddie. For weeks now, he had been aware of a perpetual discomfort. At random times during the day, he would become distracted, or unsettled. 

When they were actively together, Venom forgot to be upset. It mostly came while Eddie was at work, and both were concentrated on individual tasks. Eddie could not imagine why this was the case.

“What’s wrong?”

**Nothing.**

“I can help.” 

**We are fine, Eddie.**

_Stubborn. I see how it is._ They turned the corner. The sidewalk was slick with water, winding through the old downtown buildings like elongated slabs of clay. A few streetlights flickered overhead, casting pools of orange light on the ground. Not a soul was around. Eddie didn’t mind when strangers saw him talking to himself, but it was generally easier to hold a full-length conversation in private. 

He put out his arm. Venom materialized from the pit of his elbow, coiling around his forearm like like a snake. They had grown more familiar with touching over time. It started slowly. Mischievous nips on the back of Eddie’s neck when he wasn’t looking, comforting black pooling around his shoulder blades. Then, this.

“You’re always down, except for the times we’re doing something together. I know you don’t want to tell me about it right now, but you will, right? When you’re ready?” 

**Yes, Eddie. Just need time.**

“Okay.”

Tacit agreement was better than nothing. 

That was one thing that Venom loved about his host, the _need_. God, the need of this man, it was endless. And he lapped up neediness like milk. He sighed inwardly, restraining the outer edges of his emotions so as to keep them to himself. Eddie did not know.

Soon. Soon.

**_When the time is right._ **

~ * ~ 

Eddie sank into the couch, despite being sopping wet. He put a hand over his face. _What the fuck am I doing._ It was 3 in the morning. Venom spread through him, warm and alive, happy in a dim, dumb way. Whatever had been bothering him was forgotten, for the moment. Clearly, taking him out had done some good. He smiled at this thought.

“I should take a shower.” 

**No, Eddie. Tired.**

“Yeah. Yeah, you’re right on that.” 

He stood and shed his clothes. A singular black tendril offered him a towel from the bathroom. Eddie accepted it with a grateful nod and dried himself up, falling into bed immediately after finishing. Venom turned off the lamp on the bedside table and settled himself inside Eddie. He tried to be content. He _was_ content.

They lay in the dark apartment, each attempting to quiet their own mind for the sake of the other. Eddie went to sleep first, which was normal. Nothing in the world could wake him, when he slept. 

One thought kept Venom awake: his host was naked. 

This would not be so intriguing to Venom normally, but tonight, he was having a strange reaction to the thought of Eddie in the bed _without clothes_. He gave Eddie privacy when he showered, went to the bathroom, and performed various other human functions, but it was impossible not to be curious. Humans were alien to Venom. He wanted to understand them. Disgusted by himself, though not enough to stop, Venom seeped out of Eddie’s side. He clicked on the light. Eddie had been so proud of him when he had learned how to twist the little dial, and manage the brightness setting.

Venom hesitated, face turned away from the bed, in a kind of blind panic. What was he doing? This violated all their talks, all their implied contracts, their _trust._ What was this thing that ate Venom up inside, that made him behave so irresponsibly and disrespectfully? He calmed himself. Eddie would never know. They were _together_. It would probably be good for Venom to know what was going on with him. Externally. _Physically._

He looked. 

The lamplight framed his body in a gentle glow. He was sinfully poetic when nude, like one of those white statues Eddie had a postcard of on his desk. Every sinew and curve seemed molded to divine perfection, every fragrant square of flesh designed to incite hunger. And Venom was hungry, voraciously so. He was vaguely aware that he was actually salivating. Bloodlust churned at the back of his throat. He wanted to devour Eddie, consume him, finally and completely. Mania crept into Venom’s expression. 

Eddie fidgeted, exposing his neck further. Venom watched in angry anticipation, boiling with a kind of insanity, horrified at his own lecherous actions, yet spurred by an ancient desire. He was reduced to an animal, clutching at himself, unsure of how to defuse the craze brought on by his host. 

In an attempt to control himself, he retreated back inside of Eddie. He snarled for satiation, thoughts a tumult of confusion and love, strangled love. He loved Eddie, and why could Eddie not see that? In all the ways that humans love each other, in all the ways they _want_ each other. That was how he felt. 

A wave of unhappiness crashed over Venom.

How could he tell him, knowing it would risk everything?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> right, so...i'm back. i am putting work on "black as night" momentarily on hold since this new concept is really interesting to me. this will be updated fairly quickly, i imagine. let me know what you think! (if you're looking for something complete to read, i've also written the fic ["mine"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16237430/chapters/37958666) which is now finished.) 
> 
> \- figs
> 
> PS. follow @chikken-katsu on tumblr for story updates.


	2. Project Symbiosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Dan are in hot water with the FBI. Eddie and Venom come closer to telling the truth.

“Are you familiar with Eddie Brock?” 

“Yes. He’s my girlfriend’s ex-fiancé.” 

“Do you have a lot of contact with him?” 

“The usual amount, I guess.” 

“What’s the ‘usual amount’?” 

“I check on him. He has psychological issues regarding a recent…traumatic event. So I follow up occasionally, to see if there’s anything I can do for him. Medically speaking.” 

“That’s not usual for the boyfriend of a guy’s ex-fiancé.” 

“Maybe not.” 

“Would you happen to know anything about said ‘traumatic event’? Anything that would help us understand your friend better?” 

“He had a sort of parasite. This blobby _thing._ It was quite a discovery, in fact. Imagine it like a tapeworm, only it doesn’t eat your food. It has a sentient mind of its own.” 

“Do you know the origin of the parasite?"

Dan hesitated. He wasn’t stupid, he knew what answers they were looking for. It would be so easy to submit and tell them everything. But Anne would never forgive him. And he felt a curious sympathy towards Eddie; he pitied him. The poor guy had been dumped, fired, and deathly ill in the span of a week. Besides, Dan really _was_ unaware of anything that had happened between Eddie and the Life Foundation. So he said that.

“I don’t know what happened between Eddie and the Life Foundation, if that’s what you’re asking. Obviously, we don’t talk a lot.” 

“You check up on him.” 

“We don’t have tea together, I just go over there and _check._ You know, to see if he’s alive?” 

Anne hated when he got all noble, but he wasn’t trying to be noble, he was trying to be worthy. 

“Okay, then. That’s all for today.” 

The white life shuttered off. Dan drew back from the table and looked at the clock in the wall. Two hours had gone by. He shook his head. 

“Who are you, anyway? You said FBI earlier, but I’m starting to suspect you’re not.” 

“We are from the FBI. Special task force. Dedicated to weird shit like this.” 

“Oh."

_My life is turning into_ The X-Files _,_ Dan thought. 

“You’re free to go, Mr. Lewis.” 

 

~ * ~ 

 

“What is the nature of your relationship with Dan Lewis?”

“He’s my boyfriend.” 

“And your relationship with Eddie Brock?” 

“He’s my fiancé. _Ex_ , I mean. Ex-fiancé. “

“You don’t sound sure.” 

“I _am_ sure. Ex. He’s my ex.”

“And what do you know of Dan Lewis’ relationship with Eddie Brock?”

“They try not to kill each other.” 

“Can you be more specific?” 

“Dan is great with him. Eddie is…trying.”

“What happened between you and Eddie?” 

“He stole something from me. It broke our trust.” 

It hurt Anne to admit this, in the crisp air of the tiled room, white light beaming on her face. It all seemed so clinical. One moment they were together, and the next, they were living totally separate lives. She tried not to let any of this show on her face. She didn’t trust the men who were questioning her, despite their shiny badges and security clearances. While Anne knew she had the information they wanted—and probably more—she had already resolved not to reveal anything about Venom. Because he was _good._ He didn’t deserve to be dragged into a secret laboratory to be picked and poked and prodded, to die a second time. 

“Ms. Weying, we suspect that the parasite is still alive.”

_Oh, you don’t even know_. 

“I don’t care. It’s none of my business.” 

“But you made direct contact with the symbiote. We know you interacted with Brock while he possessed the organism. You have to give us _something_ —”

“No, I don’t.” 

 

~ * ~ 

 

Venom could not bring himself to speak the following morning. He remained deathly silent throughout their routine, refusing to show even when Eddie put out his arm. A torrent of remorse and disgust consumed him. To apologize for the deed would be to admit it had happened. And yet, how long could his dishonesty stand? 

Eddie’s kindness killed him.

As they walked down the street towards a small cafe, Venom thought about his options. Either live with a perpetual lie between them, or spit out the truth. 

**_The cost…_ **

They stood in line for coffee. Venom felt Eddie’s concerned curiosity brush up against him. Viciously, Venom quashed it. The force of the mental action was so intense that Eddie staggered backwards. 

“What’s wrong? Just tell me. I want to help.” 

**No. Can’t.**

“Venom…”  
 ****

Eddie left the line abruptly, turning out of the store and into an alleyway. He felt the symbiote recoil in his mind, afraid of the intensity of Eddie’s riled emotions. Eddie’s hands were balled into fists at his sides. Both dreaded the coming conversation. Venom didn’t want it to happen this way, with anger snapping between them, hurt snagging through Eddie’s blood. This was his fault, though. He should have known. 

“You better start talking.” 

**Eddie…**

“What is it? You don’t want to be paired up anymore? It’s like you’re turning away from me.” 

A ripple of mild surprise went through Venom.

**No. Not at all. That’s not it, Eddie. Glad we’re us. Together.**

“Then what?” 

**I…saw you.**

“Right, of course. You live inside me. That’s sort of how it works.” 

**No…not like that, Eddie.**

Venom’s voice shook in Eddie’s mind, unsure. The usual bass of it had dropped out, so that it echoed quietly around their link, impossibly small. There was a layer of doubt, too, oppressively heavy, that weighed on their combined psyches like concrete. 

**Like Anne saw you.**

It suddenly dawned on Eddie that Venom had no words to describe his more human emotions because he simply didn’t have the vocabulary. His understanding of the English language was fundamentally different from that of a person. All Venom had were examples. So when he said “like Anne,” it was possible he meant…it was then Eddie understood, perceived so clearly what Venom was saying that he answered before the shock had worn off. 

“Venom, it’s okay.” 

**No. Betrayed you. Ashamed.**

“Look, I normally wouldn’t allow that, and you shouldn’t do it anymore, but it’s fine. We literally share a body. I’m an extension of you.”

A current of warmth passed through their link as Venom became increasingly optimistic. So he hadn’t committed a terrible crime? 

Softly, Eddie added, “You _have_ me.” 

**That’s not everything.**

 

~ * ~ 

 

The monitor showed a dark sidewalk with a single streetlight on. A man walked into the frame, fizzling as the camera twisted to capture his movement. It was difficult to discern from a distance, but up close, Dan could see something black and amorphous clinging to the man’s side.

_Shit._

One of the agents clicked the monitor off and folded his hands. Usually, it took a little time to break witnesses into the process. The room was cold. The chairs and table, unnaturally metal. And yet, inevitably, they always gave themselves away. It was the face. The expressive human face. The guy knew it, too, knew it as soon as he lifted his eyes away from the screen. 

“When was this taken?” 

“You don’t get to ask the questions, Mr. Lewis.” 

“Surely, _surely_ , you don’t think I know anything about this? I’m a surgeon! At a hospital! This is way above my pay grade.” 

“You recognize that thing though, don’t you? You know what it is?”

“I _told_ you. He had a parasite. And that’s it. It’s dead. Eddie has serious mental issues, Agent, I don’t think you quite understand the delicate nature of his condition.” 

“That footage was taken from a security camera attached to the side of a small grocery store four blocks from Brock’s apartment. It’s from last week.” 

“Wait—” 

The door to the questioning room opened. Anne was abruptly deposited into a chair beside him, looking both guilty and angry. 

“Anne, did you know it’s back?”

Anne could not bring herself to respond. 

“Where is Eddie right now? How is he related to the symbiote? Ms. Weying, Mr. Lewis, it’s time to talk.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> um. i don't know what the fuck is happening but i guess i'm john grisham now, sorry about that.
> 
> also, on a side-tangent, i ABSOLUTELY love dan. i like the idea of an unproblematic, consistently supportive boyfriend that micro-manages his girlfriend's ex. he's just so funny. anyway, i am giving him a ridiculously increased role in this fic because i don't think he got his fair share in the movie. right here and now, i'm starting the #treatdanright campaign, wherein all venom fic writers start fucking TREATING DAN RIGHT. not that they don't already. most of them have nothing but complimentary things to say. in fact, it might be an entirely superfluous campaign. 
> 
> but do join, if you're interested. 
> 
> thank you for all the encouragement on the last chapter of the fic!!! i have like 12 chapters (including an epilogue) outlined for this story, so buckle in, this is only the beginning. 
> 
> #treatdanright,   
> figs
> 
> PS. i might write "the adventures of dan lewis" for shits and giggles let me know if that sounds funny or absolutely stupid.


End file.
